I cannot, and do not claim any truly functional knowledge of Speed Racer. I have always been away of the show, the character, and some surrounding info about characters, but I do not believe I have ever seen a complete episode. That said, I will not be able to say just how true the film is to the source material.
Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is the central character. He is a young racecar driver who has never gotten over the death of his older brother, providing immediate pathos. Following a meeting with Mr. Royalton (Roger Allam), the head of a large corporation and potential sponsor, Speed's eyes are opened to corruption within the system. This experience leads Speed to want to make a difference the only way he knows how, racing. Speed enters a dangerous cross-country race and he is off on his crusade to make a difference.
Beyond that brief outline, I am hesitant to say more. As I mentioned earlier, there is not a lot to this story. That is not a criticism; the movie is definitely, and properly, targeted at a younger set. While the story does not offer considerable depth, it does not pander. It is a movie that sets out to entertain, and that it does in spades and in a way not seen on the big screen in some time.
I must admit to being very happy with how the movie turned out. The more than two-hour long movie is in a constant state of motion, even in the few quieter moments, I still felt as if we were surging forward. The screen is littered with big colors that are moved around the screen in such a way that the effect is similar to a kaleidoscope.
There is no denying the fun factor in the visuals. I found the races and the wild things that happen during them to be beautifully delivered on the screen. I had no trouble following the action, other than during moments where confusion is required). I truly felt as if I was in another world where things like this could happen.
Stepping away from the look, the other factor that made the film work is the dialogue and the performances. Now, neither element can be considered "good" in the traditional sense, but within the context of the hyper-real universe of Speed Racer, they all fit in perfectly. The good guys are all good, the bad guys are all bad, and the words they speak would be equally at home if they appeared in comic book-style bubbles over their heads.
Emile Hirsch is fine as Speed, putting life in the blue shirt and red neckerchief. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are fine as Pops and Mom Racer. Matthew Fox is nicely stoic as Racer X. However, there was an actor who did a great job of stealing scenes, that would be young Paulie Litt as Spritle Racer, Speed's little brother. He brings this odd grown-up child feel to this troublemaking youngster with the pet chimp. He was quite funny, and not in the annoying way that one would normally suspect. Last but not least, Christina Ricci is quite fetching as Speed's girlfriend, Trixie.
Bottomline. I am sure there will be those who have the exact opposite reaction that I did. I get the impression that you will either love it or hate it. It is a weird movie, but, for me, it provided an exciting blast of cinematic energy that had not been on the screen this year, until now. It is also safe for the family. There are a couple of minor language uses, and the violence is mostly comical and fantasy based. Speed Racer is not perfect, but it is well worth spending some time with.
Recommended.
1 comments:
The Wachowski bros certainly put a lot of effort into making Speed Racer... the movie overall looked and felt like a cross between anime, a kaleidoscope, that Flintstones movie, a video game and the Dukes of Hazard
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